Science News

Foundation

We were continuing our focus on changes in the sky and landscape. The Preps observed how quickly our grass grew on the lawns of our mini houses.  We investigated the different clouds in the sky and linked them to impending weather, such as grey clouds can mean overcast or clearing, greyish clouds can indicate overcast or drizzling and white clouds with greyish bottoms can indicate that wet weather is on its way.

Of course, we all like those clouds that indicate fair or sunny weather.  

Students also learned about different weather such as sunny, cloudy, partly cloudy, stormy, windy, snowy and rainy. We recorded short-term patterns of changing weather and created a weather chart.  Some students became mini weather meteorologists and played the role of weather presenter, presenting different weather reports to the grade.

 Our weather has a huge effect on our lives and students learned to communicate to others about our local weather.

Grades 1 & 2

Students explored the importance of sound in our lives. We learned about Auslan, a sign language used by the majority of the Australian deaf community. We showed an understanding that it is not always possible to use sound as one of your senses.    

We learned about where sound comes from and how sound is made.  It is a type of energy made by vibrations and these create sound waves that move through matter.  We explored pitch and volume and the different sounds that are produced by wind, percussion and string instruments.  Students created a mini orchestra using percussion and string instruments and reflected on how these instruments created music through the vibration of standing waves.

Grades 3 & 4

Students have been exploring different bridge designs and making a bridge using their knowledge of processed materials, physics and forces. We are investigating these structures and how they influence bridge strength putting into practice what students know about bridge design and applying engineering principles such as shape, materials, means of support and distance.   We have been learning about how the changes in materials and design can strengthen our bridges. We reviewed tension and compression and some of our bridges are ready to be load-tested.

Grades 5 & 6

We have been identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how long they take to orbit the Sun. Students are investigating the formation and scale of our solar system.  Everyone has been exploring the beginning of the universe according to science. We researched the role of the James Webb and Hubble telescopes in investigating the cosmos that has not been previously seen before.  We enjoyed exploring planets, stars and galaxies such as the Milky Way.  Questions have been asked to further broaden our knowledge of how scientists understand and examine the universe in different ways.